Table of Contents
- The priority for India is to ensure that it overcomes the COVID-19 pandemic and
- Kick-starts GDP growth rather than fix the weaknesses in the macroeconomy.
- Be it high fiscal deficit and government indebtedness.
WHAT SHOULD BE GOVERNMENT’S STRATEGY?
- Its financing strategy should be to raise-
- Long-term funds at cost effective rates, with flexible repayment terms that allow it to take tactical advantage of market movements.
- The GoI may issue listed, Indian rupee denominated,
- 30-year GDP-linked bonds that are callable from, say, the fifth year.
WHAT IS A BOND?
- A bond is a fixed income instrument that represents a loan made by an investor to a borrower.
WHAT ARE GDP-LINKED BONDS?
- The coupon (interest) on a GDP-linked bond is correlated to the GDP growth rate.
- The issuer, the GoI, is liable to pay a lower coupon during years of slower growth and vice-versa.
CALLABLE FEATURE OF THE BOND
- A callable bond allows the issuer to pay off their debt early.
LISTING OF BONDS
- The listing of bonds provides investors an exit option.
- Costa Rica, Bulgaria and Bosnia-Herzegovina issued the first pure GDP-linked bonds in the
- Usually government issue such bonds during slowdown or recession.
- Argentina and Greece issued warrant-like instruments similar to GDP-linked bonds in 2005 and 2012